


Fidelity of Affection

by Oilan



Series: A Dilettante in Fur [1]
Category: Les Misérables - Victor Hugo
Genre: Canon Era, M/M, pet-sitting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-05
Updated: 2014-09-05
Packaged: 2018-02-16 06:19:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2259177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oilan/pseuds/Oilan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Once [a cat] has given its love, what absolute confidence, what fidelity of affection! It will make itself the companion of your hours of work, of loneliness, or of sadness. It will lie the whole evening on your knee, purring and happy in your society, and leaving the company of creatures of its own society to be with you.”<br/>― Théophile Gautier, Ménagerie intime</p><p>Enjolras and Combeferre pet-sit for Joly.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fidelity of Affection

“It is only for two weeks,” Combeferre said. “Joly's eldest sister gave birth and so he and Bossuet are taking a short trip down to Nice to visit Joly's family. It was all very last-minute, and so- here we are.”

Combeferre and Enjolras were standing in the middle of Combeferre's sitting room, watching a rotund orange tabby cat sniff its way around the edges of the floor.

“Apparently, Musichetta's landlord refuses to have a cat in the building. Since Joly knew where to find me on such short notice, I suppose I am a cat owner for the next fortnight.”

“Hmm.”

“You don't mind, do you?”

“No, of course not. It is staying in your rooms, after all. Only, I thought Joly's cats were all just strays he feeds each day.”

“Yes, well.” Combeferre shrugged. “From what I gathered in the midst of his breathless chatter about being an uncle, this one has a delicate constitution and must remain indoors and out of danger.”

As they were speaking, the cat hunkered down just beneath a shelf where Combeferre kept several moth specimens in glass jars, newly emerged from their cocoons. The cat leapt up, swiping one of the jars from the shelf. The glass shattered on the floor and the cat, with surprising deftness for an animal so spherical, batted one of the moths to the ground. Enjolras and Combeferre stared as it steadily munched up the insect, blinking slowly at them.

“Oh.”

 

* * *

 

“Now, you are _absolutely certain_ you don't mind?”

“Not at all. The creature clearly cannot stay in your rooms and I have nothing I am terribly attached to, should it damage any of my possessions.”

“Well, if you are sure.” Combeferre was tentatively watching the cat saunter across Enjolras' single room and scramble onto the bed; it curled up right in the center of the mattress.

“You see, everything will be just fine.” Enjolras reached out to press Combeferre's hand. “There is no need to worry.”

“No, you are right.” Combeferre smiled slightly. “And since I am the one entrusted with the cat's welfare, I suppose this gives me an excuse to visit you more often.”

Enjolras smiled wryly and squeezed his hand. “You know perfectly well you need no excuse for that. However, don't you have evening rounds to attend soon?”

“Yes! I will be back in a few hours.” Combeferre pulled Enjolras in for a quick kiss. “Please get along, you two.”

The cat showed no signs of moving once Combeferre took his leave, and so Enjolras settled down at his desk to work. He had just finished cobbling together an inventory of Les Amis' weaponry and supplies when the tabby suddenly leapt into Enjolras' lap, nearly causing Enjolras to upend the ink bottle in surprise. He set his pen down and absentmindedly scratched behind the cat's ears, reading over the completed list. The cat's purrs were thunderous, and it kneaded its claws into Enjolras' leg.

After several minutes, the cat seemed to decide it was not receiving enough attention, and it clambered onto the desk, sitting directly on top of Enjolras' inventory, which was still wet with ink. Enjolras ineffectually tried to nudge the cat away, but the animal simply batted both pen and ink bottle off the desk – the bottle smashed and splattered once it hit the ground – and then walked to the other end of the desk, leaving black paw prints in its wake. Enjolras looked down at his list; it was completely illegible. He shot an annoyed look at the cat, but the cat simply stared at him with big round eyes and purred. Enjolras sighed, and pulled out a new sheet of paper.

 

* * *

 

“You know, I'm beginning to think you have a certain way with animals. Joly's cat really seems to like you.”

“What gives you that idea?”

It was several days after the cat had first been introduced into Enjolras' apartment, and Enjolras and Combeferre were sitting at the desk, picking at some leftover bread, cheese, and sausage. The cat itself sat at Enjolras' feet, looking up at him, hoping for a scrap of food.

“He is always staring at you and following you around, even if you are only crossing the room.” Combeferre smiled as Enjolras lowered a hand to feed the cat a bit of sausage. “Listen to that purr.”

“It purrs at you too. I'm sure it does so at everyone.” The cat gobbled up the meat and pressed its face into Enjolras' hand, purring louder.

“Did your family keep cats when you were a child? My mother has always wanted one, but the elder of my two sisters is allergic to them.”

“Hmm. Yes, I had a kitten when I was very young. Small and grey. I'm not certain what happened to it.” Enjolras acquiesced to the cat's wishes and scratched under its chin. “It was the only pet I had; it is not as though I have much experience with them.”

“Well, even so- you seem to have a way with them. The cat clearly favors you.” Enjolras shook his head.

“It is merely an animal. It cannot reason nor favor.”

The cat wandered over to the armchair and began shredding the upholstery.

 

* * *

 

It was fully dark. Enjolras sifted Combeferre's soft hair through his fingers and let out a quiet, though no less appreciative, moan. He had just closed his eyes and relaxed into the pillows when a loud _thunk_ on the bedside table startled him out of his haze. He looked up to see a huge pair of eyes looming over him, staring into his face. He stiffened. From somewhere near the middle of the bed, Combeferre glanced up and said, “Just ignore him.”

Try as he might, Enjolras could not. Even though Combeferre settled back down to resume what he was doing, Enjolras could not focus. The cat was just sitting there, _looking_ at him, eyes unblinking. After a few moments of not getting any kind of reaction, Combeferre stopped and sighed, resigned, and crawled back up to the top of the bed.

“No?”

The cat jumped from the bedside table and landed squarely on Enjolras' chest, knocking the wind out of him before he could respond. He tried to push the cat off, to no avail. The animal merely curled up in a huge ball and purred.

“I'm sorry.” Enjolras' voice was breathless for the entirely wrong reason. Combeferre wrapped an arm around him and kissed his cheek.

“That's perfectly all right.”

 

* * *

 

Upon entering Enjolras' flat, Combeferre could not help but smile at the sight before him. Enjolras sat in his armchair, the enormous orange tabby curled up in his lap, attempting to read despite the cat obscuring half of his book. Loud purring could be heard even from where Combeferre was standing, and the cat was slowly kneading a hole into Enjolras' trousers.

“Well, don't the two of you look comfortable?”

“I suppose.” Enjolras made a movement to rise, but the cat dug its claws into his legs, refusing to budge.

“Don't get up. I brought some things for dinner, if you like. But Enjolras, I do have to warn you...”

“Warn me?”

“Well, Joly should be back in Paris tomorrow.”

Enjolras raised his eyebrows. “So soon?” Combeferre smiled.

“It has been a full two weeks. I'm afraid you'll have to return your new friend to his rightful owner. I'm sorry... I know you'll miss him.”

“No matter,” Enjolras said, stroking the cat's head and returning to his book. “It is only a cat. It is not as though I expected to keep him.”

 

* * *

 

“Combeferre, have you seen my cravat?”

“I think it may have slipped off the nightstand.” Combeferre, sitting at his desk, glanced up from transcribing his notes from that morning's lectures. “Where are you going?”

“I need to review that inventory of supplies with Joly. It's urgent.”

“You mean the list you finished three weeks ago? The one that has just been sitting on your desk, collecting dust?”

“Yes. And it has not been collecting dust. I have merely been keeping it out and at hand- for easy reference.”

“Hmm. And why is it urgent that _Joly_ in particular look over this list?”

“Why not? You think Joly's input inferior to anyone else's?”

Combeferre could just barely keep himself from laughing. “No, not at all. Joly never fails to provide fresh and enthusiastic insights.” He looked at Enjolras, standing at the door and hurriedly tying his cravat. He rose from his chair. “You know, perhaps I ought to accompany you. I would like to discuss our _inventory_ as well.”

“Suit yourself.” Enjolras finished with the cravat and put on his hat. “But hurry!”

“I never knew you were this _keen_ to discuss things such as _supply lists_. Well, I'm ready to go. I wouldn't _dare_ keep you away from the things that please you.”

Enjolras waved him out the door, face set in a dry expression. “Oh... _hush_.”

Combeferre finally gave in and laughed.

**Author's Note:**

> I suppose I should credit my partner, Zac, for the fic idea- as well as the fandom notion that animals of all species adore Enjolras.


End file.
